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NITED STATES PATENT -OFFICE.

WILLIAM (J. REIOHENEKER, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO ALLAN RUTHERFORD, RICHARD W. TYLER, AND ROBERT Gr. RUTHERFORD, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

METALLIC FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 238,714, dated March 8, 1881.

' Application filed October 23, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. REIoHEN- EKER, ofDenver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new '5 and useful Improvements in Metallic Fences;

and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wire fence embodying my improvements. Fig.2 is a side elevation of one of the panel-posts. Fig. 3 is a partial sectional elevation of one of the corner-posts employed in my improved fence, showing the tighteners and the keys for looking them. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of one of the tighteners and the key, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the fasteners for connecting the wire rails to the posts, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the tightener.

This invention has relation to wire fences and fence-posts used in the erection of such fences; and the invention consists in the features of construction and combination hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A designates the corner-post, and B the panel-post used in a fence of my improved construction.

The corner-post A consists of two metal 5 bars, 0 U, each bent midway of their'length to form the two sides of a rectangular shaft. These bars O 0 thus bent are placed together, the top of one coming beneath the top of the other, and the sides of the one partially closing 40 the sides of the other, so that when secured together at their tops the two united form a rectangular post having corner openings through most of their height. The portion 0 of the post A is perforated at a for the reception of the wire rails D, and the portion 0 is provided with transverse rotating tighteners E, having their bearings in the sides of said portion 0, as shown in the drawings. The

sides of the portions 0 O are provided with half-twists F, just below the ground-line of the posts, and at this point a knee-plate, G, which is slotted for each arm of the post, is placed thereon in the following manner: The plate G is provided with four radial slots. Each arm of the post A is first given a quar- 5 ter-twist to the right. This operation brings each pair of the arms of the post in line with each other, and then, by slightly compressing the lower ends of the four arms, the slotted plate may be slipped upon them and pushed up until the twists in the arms have been reached. By releasing the compression the arms will expand and bind the knee-plate G in place. Each arm of the post is then given another quarterturn to the right below the 6 knee-plate G, which brings their faces back in line with the upper portions of the arms and securely locks the knee-plate in place, thus dispensing entirely with the use. of bolts or screws to secure them. The lower ends of the arms of the post A are provided with nibs or studs 1), and a slotted foot-plate, H, is secured to the foot of the post by passing the nibs I) through said slots and clinching them on the under side thereof, here again dispens- 7 5 ing with the use of screws or bolts.

The tighteners E are provided at one end with a post, 0, for the wrench or key by which they are wound to tighten the wire rails D. Near the other end of each tightener E a square portion, I, is formed, which enters a square opening, I, in that side of the portion 0 of the post A. Atthe end of each tightener E is acylindrical portion, 61, having a perforation, 6, through which a key, J, is passed to lock the rectangular portion I in its rectangular opening I in the arm of the portion 0 of the post. When it becomes necessary to Wind, in order to tighten the wire rails, the key J must be withdrawn and the tightener pushed o inwardly from that end until the rectangular portion I leaves the rectangular portion 1, at which time the tightener may be turned until the wire rail D is sufficiently taut, when the tightener should be pushed back toits 5 normal position. This manner of locking the tighteners prevents them from being pushed in by cattle scratching or rubbing against them.

The panel-posts B are constructed in the following manner: The metal bar or strip 0 is bent at its middle, as shown, and a quartertwist, f, is made just below the bend, which brings the arms of the post at right angles to each other. This is done in order to furnish a perforated face, to which the wire rails may be secured, and also to furnish a brace, K, for the post. L designates the arm, perforated to receive the wire-fasteners M, one end of which is passed through the perforations to secure the fasteners, and the upturned hook portion of the fastener projects and receives the wire rails D. A knee-plate, G, having two slots in line with each other, is used in this connection, and a twist, g, is made in the arm L in the same manner as that described for the post A. A foot-plate, N, having two slots instead of four, as in the case of the post A, is secured to the post 13 in the manner described for the post A.

The posts Aand B are sunk in post-holes in the usual manner, the twists in the posts being sunk below the surface-line of the ground. The wire rails D are secured to the posts, except where the tighteners occur, by the fasteners before described, and tightened.

In order to brace the wire rails, and to make the fence more readily visible to the stock inclosed by the fence or intended to be kept out by the same, I employ auxiliary oblique wires 0 O, which,'in one pattern, I run from the top rail at one post to the bottom rail at the next, and thence to the top rail of the next, and thus on throughout the fence. The oblique wire 0 I start at the bottom rail of one post, run it to the top rail of the next, thence'to the bottom rail of the next, and thus on throughout the fence. Where the oblique wires 0 O intersect the rails D, I connect them to said rails by the annealed wire h,th us forming around each post a diamond-shaped figure.

Where it is desired to make the panel still more visible to the stock I employ two more auxiliary oblique wires, 1? P, and a perforated vertical brace, Q. The wires P P are started from the central rail of the fence at one post and run down to the lower rail at the center of the panel, where the stay or brace Q is located, thence to the central rail at the next post, and thus on. The wire P is started at the central rail of one post, run to the top rail at the brace, then down to the central rail at the next post, and thus on throughout the fence. The wires 1? 1? are also connected at their intersections with the rails and other oblique wires by the wires h. A brace, R, is connected to, or near to, the top of the corner-post A, and extends in the direction which will sustain the post and relieve it from the strain that comes upon it when tightening the wires. This brace R has a plate, S, at its lower end to stay it, and this is sunk in the ground about the same distance as the foot-plates of the posts.

The advantages of this fence are obvious. It is simple, cheap, and durable. It may be readily seen by cattle, and they will not be likely to run against the fence. It may be made quite ornamental, and when made with the increased number of oblique wires, which may be still more increased on the same plan, will make an ornamental fence for city use.

In long stretches of fence on the farm the oblique wires 0 0 will be all that is needed, as cattle readily learn to avoid the fence, and the diagonal wires are more readily seen than the parallel ones. The posts, too, are advantageous, as all bolts and screws are dispensed with, while the fasteners may be easily and readily clinched to secure the wires to the posts. The tighteners having the square portion and the rounded portion and key are so simple and safe, and so easily worked, as to need no further comment.

I may employ in this fence alternate different-colored wires to form the rails, and also the oblique wires, thus making the fence still more plainly visible.

The foot-plates H and N, I omitted to mention, have vertical flan ges at two of their sides, which stiffen them, and thus enables me to use lighter metal than were they left flat and plain.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A fence-post consisting of one or more bent metal bars, and having knee-plates secured upon intermediate twists upon the legs of said posts, said twists preventing displacement of the knee-plates, as set forth.

2. A fence-post consisting of one or more bent metal plates or straps, having kneeplates adjusted upon twists on the legs of said post and foot-plates secured at the bottom by nibs b b, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. As an improvement in wire-fence posts, the corner-post A, composed of the portions 0 0, connected together at their tops, twisted near their bottoms, and provided with the knee-plate G at the twists, and the foot-plate H at the bottom, secured thereto by the nibs b b, constructed, combined, and operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a wire-fence post, the tightener E, having post 0, square or rectangular portion I, and the round portion d, perforated at e, in combination with the post A and the key J, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, with a fence-post havin g a lateral arm provided with perforations, substantially as described, of the fastener M, having an upturned hook, and an arm by which it may be adjusted in the perforated post, where it is self-fastening, and the fencewires, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The herein-described improved fence,

consisting of posts having lateral perforations, my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in corner-posts provided with tighteners E, conpresence of two Witnesses. struotecl as herein described, fasteners M of the form shown, and the horizontal and. ob- WILLIAM OOPLAN REICHENEKER' 5 lique fence-wires, all combined and operating Witnesses:

substantially as and for the purposes set forth. (J. A. SNOW,

In testimony that I claimthe foregoing as J. B. LITTELL.

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 238,714, issued March 8, 1881, for an improvement in Metallic Fences, upon the application of William O. Reichenelter, were granted improperly to Allen Rutherford, Richard W. Tyler and Robert G. Rutherford, as assignees of the entire interest, it appearing; by the assignments upon record in this Office that they were assignees ofone-half interest only; that said Letters Patent should have been granted to said "William O. Reicheneker jointly With said assignees; that the proper corrections have been made in the files and records of the Patent Office and are hereby made in said Letters Patent.

Signed, eountersigned, and sealed this 10th day of March, A. D. 1881.

[SEAL] A. BELL,

Acting Secretary of the Interior.

Gountersigned E. M. MARBLE,

Commissioner of Patents. 

